Now You Know
by Leytivia
Summary: Tyler and Candace find themselves stuck alone at Lindsey's place during a storm. Feelings and truths come out. EXTREMELY fluffy and cheesy. Oneshot. Cayler.


_A/N: So I wrote this probably over a year ago and just now decided to upload it. It's quite terrible and I think I was smoking something while writing it. You'll see_

"So, this sucks." Tyler said, half sarcastically.

"Does it?" Candace questioned.

"Not really." He conceded, "God, you'd think Lindsey would have candles in this house somewhere."

"In the desk drawer." Candace pointed out.

"But I looked-" He started, when he opened the drawer, seeing the candles right in front of him, "No I didn't."

She laughed under her breath.

"What?" Tyler pried.

"Nothing."

"Okay." He laughed. "So when did Alex say they'd be back?"

"As soon as they could, they said they power's out everywhere, and the rain doesn't look like it's letting up anytime soon. So roads will be closed for a while."

"Did you try calling them?"

"Yeah, but my phone died, and I can't charge it because we have no electricity."

"You know, they have landline phones here." Tyler stated.

"Technicalities."

He laughed again, "So it looks like we'll be here for a while." He stated, lighting up one of the candles he found, "There's really not much we could do. My job requires stuff that's at my place and you, well… I don't know."

"I'm here for moral support." She said.

"Alright." Tyler scoffed playfully, sitting down across from her. She smiled.

That cute awkward smile, on that beautiful face, the way her hair curled from the humidity, all framed by the candle light. It was a moment for him. She was beautiful. He had always thought so.

"Tyler, woo, earth to Tyler…" Candace said trying to grab his attention.

"What?" He said, snapping back into reality. "Hi."

"Hi." She laughed, "You okay?"

"Yeah just um… zoned for a second."

"Okay…" She drawled.

"Candace, can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

"Funny." He replied.

"I'm kidding, go ahead."

"Now, this, I don't know how appropriate, or weird this may sound, and uh… may come off as a little conceited, but what… do you think of me?"

"What, what do you mean?"

"Just what do you think?"

"As a person, as an artist, as a… friend, what?" She questioned.

"Just, answer it."

"Okay…" She started, "When I first found out you were joining the group, I was a skeptic. I'll admit it. They said you were some kid who was serving community service, and I had my doubts. But, I remember, that next day after you joined, you brought in the recreation of that girl. And, I could see it on your face. You were proud of yourself, you had a sense of accomplishment, you felt other people cared. And believe it or not, you helped some people in such a way, it's glorifying. And I envied you."

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah, I've never felt like that. You were doing something you loved, and helping so many people. And I thought… maybe I'd be completely crazy for falling for you." She said that last part quickly and quietly.

"Excuse me?" Tyler asked.

"Nothing." Candace replied, shaking her head.

"Falling?"

"Something like that." She said apprehensively. "I- I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Tyler stated, "Because… what if I said, I felt the same way?" There wasn't a hint of sarcasm in his voice at all. It was all serious.

"Then I would say, what if?"

He laughed a little, he looked at her and then down at the table "What if I did… what if I do?"

"If you do then… maybe, maybe this is kind of perfect."

"Maybe it's too good to be true." Tyler stated.

"Maybe we should stop saying maybe. Okay?" She said with a laugh.

"So, now what?" Tyler asked.

"Now-" She was interrupted by banging on the window coming from the other room, she whipped her head around.

"What was that?" Tyler questioned, standing up.

"I don't know," She replied, "It sounds like it's coming from the side, I'll go look."

"Candace…" He tried to stop her, "Okay." He followed her into there, finding her staring out the front window. "See, it's just a branch."

"Yeah, because _I _was freaked out." She teased, "It's gonna break, if that snaps it will take out this window."

"So what are you gonna do? Go out there and chop it off?"

Candace pursed her lips in thought before answering, "Yes." She said, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Are you crazy?" Tyler asked.

"Tyler, this rain's supposed to last all night, I don't want Lindsey's living room to be filled with, shards of glass and… water."

"Candace you can't go out there."

"You underestimate me." She said, grabbing her coat.

He sighed, running after her.

They both got outside, the rain was blinding, Candace stood up on a lawn chair, trying to shake the branch free.

"You're insane!" Tyler yelled over the loud pouring rain.

"I've done so much worse, trust me." She yelled back.

"Okay…" He said in a warning tone.

"Got it!" She said in success, watching the branch fall to the ground, and a split second later she felt the chair give from under her, without thinking Tyler ran forward to catch her as she fell back, him taking the blow as the fell back on the wet grass, his arms around her.

They both didn't speak for a minute, in shock. He could feel her shaking, "You okay?" Tyler questioned.

"A little shaken up, but yeah, I'm fine. I should ask how you are though?" She said, starting to stand up.

"I'm fine." He said. "What?" She was giving him a look.

"You told me so." She said in defeat.

"I'll let it go this time." He said, smiling. "Let's get back inside."

"Yeah." She said.

He helped her up, "Thanks." She said quietly.

The rain was beating down on them, both of the soaked to the bone at this point. Her hand in his, she was still trembling. He looked into her eyes, and contemplated his next move, truth be told, in his mind he was thinking he had just saved her ass, and she had no reason to be mad at him no matter his next move. His heart said that was just his excuse.

"Tyler-" She started, questioning his stare.

She couldn't finish. She felt his lips on hers, his hands running through her soaked hair, holding her head up. She didn't pull away, she didn't want to. Ever.

He pulled back, looking down, "Was, was that okay?" He asked in whisper.

"That was more than okay." She said in the most reassuring tone she had.

"Good." he said, kissing her once more, this time her arms wrapped around his neck, then running her hands through his matted curly hair, that she loved.

And they both pulled away once more, air being the only obligation, Tyler rested his forehead on hers. Candace laughed, "We're both gonna get sick from this rain."

"I think it's worth it." Tyler told her.

"Yeah." She sighed, "But we really should go in."

Tyler obliged, resting his hand on the small of her back as the walked back around to the front into the house.

"I'll go find some towels." Tyler said, taking off his drenched coat.

"Alright. I'll um, start a fire."

"Where?" Tyler drawled out in concern.

"In the fire place, genius." Candace bit out.

"Right." He replied, nodding.

Candace began gathering wood from next to the fire place, a few minutes later Tyler came back down the stairs carrying a stack of towels, he tossed one at her. She thanked him, grabbing matches they used earlier from the kitchen, eventually they got a stable fire going.

Tyler made them some coffee on the stove - Candace was impressed by this - Knowing that they'd be there for probably quite a while longer.

The two of them sat in front of the fire, talking for quite a while. They both dried off eventually, and were leaning against the foot of one of the chairs, instead of in it, because essentially it was warmer sitting on the floor. Candace leaned her head on his chest, a large blanket wrapped around both of them.

"What time is it?" Candace questioned.

Tyler looked up at the clock on the table behind him, "Um.. Almost 2:30."

"Really? Wow. I lost track of time."

"Me too." He said, holding her just a little tighter. Laying his head atop hers, they both secretly didn't want the power to come back on, they didn't want Lindsey to come home. They didn't want the night to end, or the rain to let up. They wanted to stay how they were forever. Saying there's no such thing as perfection would have been a lie. Because neither of them could think of anything more perfect than the moments they had right then and there. "It sounds like the rain's letting up." Tyler said.

"Does it?" Candace questioned quietly, "Well it's about time."

"Yeah." Tyler laughed, "It's a good thing it's Friday… well, Saturday now."

"Neither of us have jobs anyway." Candace replied.

"Good point."

She could here it in his voice, there was the slight disappointment, she had to tell him, "I did go back."

"What?"

"You told me before, after I quit, that I have to go back, and I did. But those elevator doors opened, and I saw them and… I realized they don't need me. Maybe I need them, essentially, but they don't need me. I can find my way."

"How can you know that for sure?" Tyler pried.

"Tyler, I only went back because _you _told me to, and, I guess you're the one person I'd listen to. But, I couldn't do it."

"But you didn't answer my question, how do you know you'll find your way?"

"Life's just funny like that." She said.

"But you only went back because I told you to?"

"Okay, quit changing the subject." Candace said, sitting up so she could face him.

"Okay… okay." He put his hands up in surrender.

"Yes, I only went back because you told me to, it was like, I had to take your word." She conceded, "But I still couldn't do it."

"You tried. I'll give you that." Tyler said.

"Like I said. Life's funny like that."

He gave her a questioning stare.

"Think about it, if I hadn't quit my job, I would have been most likely there tonight. I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be with you. And just, in general. There is no karma in life, it's just choices, and if you're lucky, maybe the not so sensible choices, turn out to be the better ones. The group, the network. The people we identify, they made one mistake, were in the wrong place at the wrong time, just an unfortunate turn of events, and it ended for them. We have to be grateful we're that lucky, I mean… that one time, I could have been killed, but it helped uncover a murderer. We go out of our way to help these people, and it always turns out for the best. Because that's how we set it out to be."

"Wow." Tyler said. "That's… did you like, plan that?"

"No. All on the spot." Candace confessed proudly. "Like you've never done anything bad that turned out for the best."

"In that case…" He started. He took a deep breath, "Spray painting that courthouse… that, was the best decision I have ever made."

"Really?" Candace laughed.

"Yeah… I had no idea that night. But it somehow led me to be here. With you."

She blushed, the good kind, she looked up at him with a cheeky smile, "Well I'm glad you spray painted that court house then."

They kissed softly, before Tyler pulled her back into his arms like they were before. They sat like that silently for quite a while. Both fighting it, but dozing off at one point.

The next morning the two awoke to the door opening, they both sat up from the sofa that neither of them remembered moving to.

Lindsey's voice filled the room, "Well well… at least you're both fully clothed." She bit out.

They both shot her a look, "I'm kidding." Lindsey said, "Relax, but you guys didn't have to stay here the whole night. I called Tyler and said that."

"Did you now?" Candace pried. Turning her head towards Tyler.

"Yeah, I left a voicemail." Lindsey said, "But I'm sure you guys would have gotten it."

"Yeah, you'd think." She teased him. "In that case, I'm gonna get going."

"Me too." Tyler followed.

"You know…" Lindsey started, "It looks like the storm took out that tree on the side, I was convinced that thing was gonna take out the window next time it was windy. Did you guys hear anything?"

"Not a thing…" Candace drawled. "Bye."

"Bye guys." Lindsey said.

They both stepped out of the house, "See!" Candace said, "What did I tell you?"

"What are you psychic or something?" Tyler asked.

"No, I'm just that good."

Tyler cringed.

"What?"

"No, I'm just now feeling the aftermath of last night… you're heavy."

Candace smacked him on the arm. "Shut up, you didn't have to be there you know."

"I know." He said.

"Thanks." Candace then said, "For that, and… for everything."

"Well… you're welcome." He replied. As they reached their respective cars. "So um… see ya?"

"See ya." Candace mocked playfully. Wrapping his arms around him, as they kissed one last time before parting.

"Will we be doing this again?" Tyler asked, as Candace got into her car.

"If you want to." Candace said happily.

"Oh I want to."

"Then the answer is yes."

He smiled at her, as she did in return. Then getting into his own car.

Lindsey of course had been watching them the entire time, neither seemed to notice. It didn't surprise her the slightest. She, and just about everyone who knew the both of them, always saw it coming. She was happy they'd finally realized it.

So were they.

_A/N: See what I meant? Random crap about a tree branch, over the top corny-ness. I don't even know._


End file.
